| | | Forged by a God. Fortold by a wizard. Found by a man.
Features: DVD, Dual Layer, Widescreen, Dolby Digital (5.1), English, French, Subtitled, Trailers, Interactive
The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table receives its most impressive screen treatment in Excalibur, from visionary moviemaker John Boorman (Deliverance, The General). All the elements of Sir Thomas Malory's classic Le Morte D'Arthur are here: Arthur (Nigel Terry) removing the sword Excalibur from the stone; the Round Table's noble birth and tragic decline; the heroic attempt to recover the Holy Grail; and the shifting balance of power between wily wizard Merlin (Nicol Williamson) and evil sorceress Morgana (Helen Mirren). With Patrick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne and Liam Neeson in notable early screen roles, Excalibur serves up, The New Yorker's Pauline Kael wrote, "one lush, enraptured scene after another."
"Eccentric but spellbinding..." Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide
Editor's Note
Director John Boorman's passionate adaptation of Sir Thomas Malory's LE MORTE D'ARTHUR stars Nigel Terry as the faithful King Arthur. Necromancer Merlin (Nicol Williamson) offers the magic sword Excalibur to the warlike Uther Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne) in exchange for a promise that he'll make peace with his enemy, the duke of Cornwall (Corin Redgrave). He agrees but breaks his word after catching sight of Cornwall's wife, Igraine (Katrine Boorman). With the magician's help he makes love to the woman in the guise of her husband. She bears a child, Arthur, who is taken by Merlin as payment for his assistance and left in the care of Ector (Clive Swift). Years pass, and the boy, now a humble squire, pulls Excalibur from the stone in which Uther had sunk it--a task no other could accomplish. With Merlin's counsel, he marries the stunning Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi), finds a champion in Sir Lancelot (Nicholas Clay), subdues the skirmishing knights, and builds the Round Table to unite them. Yet his half-sister, Morgana (Helen Mirren), lurks in the shadows, preparing to poison her brother's reign. Perhaps the best film made in this genre, EXCALIBUR benefits from an extraordinary cast, including appearances by Byrne, Patrick Stewart, and Liam Neeson early in their celluloid careers. Counterpointing ethereally filtered sex scenes against scenes of graphic blood-and-guts swordplay, Boorman's sumptuous production galvanizes the familiar mythology, as he charts the transition from an age of magic to one of reason.
Plot Summary
John Boorman brings the timeless legend of King Arthur to the screen in visually elaborate style. An epic tale steeped in magic, EXCALIBUR chronicles the life of Arthur beginning with his birth and ending with his climactic battle with his illegitimate son, the evil Mordred.
| Features | French Dolby Digital Mono | | English Subtitles | | French Subtitles | | English 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital | | Production Notes | | Audio Commentary | | Widescreen Version | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Access | | Theatrical Trailer |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Warner |
| Release Date: 2/8/2005 |
| Running Time: 140 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1981 | | Catalog ID: 22018 | | UPC: 00085392201822 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English, French Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English, French | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 1.85:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Oscar (1982) | | | Alex Thompson, Nominee, Best Cinematography | |
British Academy Awards (1982) | | | Bob Ringwood, Nominee, Best Costume Design | |
Cannes Film Festival (1981) |  | John Boorman, Winner, Best Artistic Contribution |
| Memorable Quotes| "You must remember, there's always something cleverer than yourself."----Merlin (Nicol Williamson) to Arthur (Nigel Terry) | | "It's a lonely way, you know, the way of the necromancer."----Merlin to Morgana (Helen Mirren) | | "For it is the doom of men that they forget!"----Merlin |
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| | Professional Reviews | Variety
"...EXCALIBUR is exquisite, a near-perfect blend of action, romance, fantasy and philosophy....Finely acted and beautifully filmed..." 04/08/1981Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide 8 of 10
Eccentric but spellbinding, sexually aware rendition of the King Arthur legend by a stylish filmmaker working at the peak of his powers.
Find-A-Video 9 of 10
...A lavish production, aswirl with sensuous colors and breathtaking imagery... a brilliant illumination of why these tales have survived so vividly in our imaginations.
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| Customer Reviews | ![]() | | Cinematography |  4.5 | | Plot | 4.5 | | Acting | 4.5 | | Overall Satisfaction | 4.5 |
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5 of 5 Excalibur is excellent! Monday, March 31, 2008
gduggan from Sterling Heights, MI
Excalibur presents a dramatic portrayal of all the elements of knighthood. The fight scenes are excellent. So are the coustumes and props. If the armor isn't historically accurate, at least it contributes to the overall combat effect in the fight scenes. Was this review helpful?  
5 of 5 Learn about life... Sunday, February 20, 2000
finden from Lakewood, CA
The archetypal figures in this film are a blueprint of the struggles to be met in life. Courage, Betrayal, Friendship, Pride, blah, blah, blah. They are all there. There are only a few films I believe worthy of owning. This is one at the top of my list. The Director's commentary is also very interesting. Worth the price of the DVD. Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 I LOVE THIS MOVIE! Monday, November 22, 1999
NIVTOP75 from MANCHESTER, CT
THIS FILM IS ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITES. I LOVE THE LOOK OF IT, AS WELL AS THE CHARACTERS AND THE STORY. IT'S EXCITING, FUNNY, SAD, AND MOVING. THE DARK AGES NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD! Was this review helpful?
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
5 of 5 Excalibur Story of King Arthur Best Version Made Saturday, September 25, 1999
wizard2712 from macon,ga
I have seen probably close to 5000 movies. And my favorite one of King Arthur to date is Excalibur. The story grabbed me from the start. I think the portrail of white knight is one of the best screen scripts I have seen. I was impressed as to how they por Was this review helpful?
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
4 of 5 Gloomy but good Sunday, September 19, 1999
mshalh from los angeles,ca
This classic retelling of the story takes away and 'happily ever after' ending and replaces it with a realism of how the story was originally told. Merlin steals the show as an aloof but vital character in the movie. Unfortunately, the rest of the characters were never fully developed. Still, a good movie that has a big cult following. Was this review helpful?
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